grande dame
noun
plural grandes dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z) 
also grande dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z)
also grande dames
ˈgrän-ˈdäm(z)
1
: a usually older woman of great prestige or ability
Examples of grande dame in a Sentence
the city's grandes dames still hold considerable sway in its cultural life
Recent Examples on the Web
Painted pink since 1918 (signifying peace at the end of World War I), the ‘Nellie’ is Cape Town’s ‘grande dame’, and dates back to 1899.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Grand Hotel Parker’s Naples’ historic grande dame occupies a privileged position on a hill in the elegant Chiaia neighborhood, with sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
While the grande dames in this space come with equally grand price tags, a crop of independent, design-forward hotels that offer elegant interiors and high-end amenities at approachable price points have emerged.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
The hotel that doesn’t just provide a place to bed down but reflects the city’s grandest vision of itself—a Carlyle or Claridge’s or, in the case of a smaller city like San Francisco, a miniature grande dame like the Beau-Rivage Genève.
—Ben Ryder Howe, Air Mail, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Grand Hotel Parker’s Naples’ historic grande dame occupies a privileged position on a hill in the elegant Chiaia neighborhood, with sweeping views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
While the grande dames in this space come with equally grand price tags, a crop of independent, design-forward hotels that offer elegant interiors and high-end amenities at approachable price points have emerged.
—Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 20 Mar. 2026
The hotel that doesn’t just provide a place to bed down but reflects the city’s grandest vision of itself—a Carlyle or Claridge’s or, in the case of a smaller city like San Francisco, a miniature grande dame like the Beau-Rivage Genève.
—Ben Ryder Howe, Air Mail, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grande dame
Cite this Entry
“Grande dame.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grande%20dame. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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